Graduation 2019

It is my great pleasure to congratulate all our new Manchester MBA graduates and to mark your achievement together at this celebration. We are sharing this special moment in the inspiring presence of Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of the Knowledge & Human Development Authority, and Professor Fiona Devine CBE FAcSS FRSA, Dean of Alliance Manchester Business School, for whose support we are very grateful.

Let’s celebrate your success - you have all reached the standards of a Manchester MBA through a demanding and rigorous programme. As we all know, this is no easy option and so we all understand and truly appreciate your achievement.  

The global economy and business continues to change rapidly, as society shifts and digital advancement makes even deeper impacts on all our daily and working lives – many industries are transforming dramatically and new ones being created. Each one of you has proved yourself to be a highly capable professional able to manage the competing demands of life, work and study. We are very confident that you will use your new knowledge, tools, skills, confidence and network to continue to build rewarding and fulfilling careers, and contribute to your own professional and social communities - as well as the growing alumni community here in the region.

Personally, one of the great pleasures of graduation is that as your cohort of 180 new graduates from the Middle East marks the successful conclusion of its MBA journey, I can immediately welcome you as alumni.

This is a professional community and network that continues to grow and in 2019 alone we welcomed over 170 talented new students to our regional community of current students, and 2,500 alumni - now comprising over 100 nationalities.
Since we launched the Middle East Centre in 2006, we have supported over 2,600 MBA students and graduated almost 1,700; all our students and alumni have played a central role in the success of the University, Alliance Manchester Business School, and the centre in Dubai.

This year, we have many reasons to celebrate with highlights including the Forbes Middle East ‘Best MBA Program 2019’, and a 5-star rating from the Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
New collaborations include Dubai Police, Dubai Technology Partners, and Kincentric, adding to the growing and diverse list of leading organisations with which we enjoy active collaborations across the region, such as ACCA, IMA, EMIR, Dubai SME, The Economist, and Forbes Middle East; and leading corporates including GM, General Electric, and EITC.

We are now looking forward to the year ahead, as the University and Alliance Manchester Business School continue to grow and develop in one of the most vibrant regions of the world and with the added excitement of Expo2020. Our dynamic programme portfolio will continue to expand and we have a pipeline of new programmes from various schools in the University.

On behalf of the entire Middle East Centre team, I would like to congratulate all our new graduates. It has been our privilege to support your MBA journey and we wish you every success in your future careers.  

Randa Bessiso
Middle East Director
The University of Manchester

On behalf of The University of Manchester and Alliance Manchester Business School, it is my pleasure to congratulate all our new MBA graduates from the Middle East on your outstanding achievement.

Graduation is one of the most enjoyable parts of my role and sharing the celebrations with graduates and families, one of the great pleasures and privileges of my working life. The 2019 MBA Graduation Celebration for the Middle East is certainly a special moment and another cause for celebration across the University.

I am pleased to say that The University of Manchester continues to confirm its growing status as one of the world’s top universities, with a focus on the quality of teaching, research and social responsibility. The University reached its highest-ever position in the QS World University Rankings 2019, which now lists Manchester as the world’s 27th best university.

In the Middle East, The University of Manchester was delighted to be awarded a 5-star rating from the Knowledge & Human Development Authority in its inaugural classification of Higher Education institutions. Forbes Middle East recognised the Manchester Global part-time MBA with the ‘Best MBA Programme’ award in 2019. Our thanks to every member of the regional team for all their dedication and to Middle East Director Randa Bessiso for her leadership.

The Global part-time MBA continues to be our flagship programme in the region. As you now know, the Manchester MBA is a rigorous and demanding programme and the Middle East is notable for the quality and diversity of students we attract, with every new cohort enriching the experience for the benefit of the entire student and alumni community.

I am sure you will agree that you are now better prepared to pursue your career and with the confidence and professional network to achieve your goals.

The Manchester MBA says a great deal about a person but is no automatic passport to success, achievement or fulfilment; these still have to be earned.  

Today more than ever, there are new responsibilities for business and businesspeople as we all seek to create a more sustainable future and share the responsibility to make a real difference in the workplace and in our communities.

To all our new graduates, this is the beginning of a new chapter of your lives, careers, and a new relationship with the University as part of our alumni community, wherever you choose to make your lives and careers.

You have reached the demanding standards required of a Manchester MBA and I wish you every continued success.

Congratulations to you all.

Professor Fiona Devine OBE FAcSS FRSA
Dean of Alliance Manchester Business School